20th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 20th Arkansas Infantry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry
regiment
during the American Civil War
. The unit was also known as the 22nd Arkansas Infantry.
The regiment was composed of volunteer companies from the following counties:
In May 1862, the Confederate Army under went an army-wide reorganization due to the passage of the Conscription Act by the Confederate Congress in April 1962. All twelve-month regiments had to re-muster and enlist for two years or the duration of the war; a new election of officers was ordered; and men who were exempted from service by age or other reasons under the Conscription Act were allowed to take a discharge and go home. Officers who did not choose to stand for re-election were also offered a discharge. The reorganization was accomplished among all the Arkansas regiments in and around Corinth, Mississippi, following the Battle of Shiloh. The regimental officers chosen when the 20th was reorganized for the war were:
The men were paroled and returned to Arkansas. After being exchanged, the 20th Arkansas was mounted and fought in the Camden Expedition in April 1864.
Colonel Johnson was killed at the battle of Corinth, and Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher became colonel, but resigned on account of disability, when Maj. Daniel W. Jones was promoted to colonel, and Captain Robertson succeeded him as major of the regiment. Major Robertson was killed in the battle of Big Black in rear of Vicksburg. The regiment was at the bombardment of Fort Pillow and in the battles of Farmington, Corinth, Coffeeville, Miss., Big Black river bridge, endured the siege of Vicksburg, and was surrendered to Grant, July 4, 1863. Colonel Jones, who had been taken prisoner at Corinth and exchanged, was again a prisoner at the capitulation of Vicksburg. After being exchanged, the regiment reentered the service as cavalry under Colonel Jones, and was at the skirmishes on the Little Missouri and Prairie d'ane, and the battles of Marks' Mills and Jenkins' Ferry, in April 1864; and during the raid to the Missouri river took part in the battles of Pilot Knob, Booneville, Independence and Marais des Cygnes, September 1864.
In November 1864, the remnants of the 18th, 19th and 20th Arkansas regiments were combined to form the 3rd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The unit was also known as the 22nd Arkansas Infantry.
Organization
The 20th Arkansas infantry was originally organized as the 22nd Arkansas Infantry at DeValls Bluff, Arkansas, on April 9, 1862, with the following officers:- Colonel George King,
- Lieutenant Colonel Alf Carrigan,
- Major James H. Fletcher.
The regiment was composed of volunteer companies from the following counties:
- Company A, the "Hempstead Legion", Commanded by Captain Daniel Webster Jones, organized in Hempstead County, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company B, the “McCulloch Avengers”, Commanded by Captain Henry Poston Johnson, organized in Hempstead County, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company C, the “Worsham Avengers”, Commanded by Captain James G. Johnson, organized at Centerville, Arkansas, on February 26, 1862
- Company D, Commanded by Captain Rufus M. Lindsey, organized in Little Rock, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company E, the "Hempstead Plough Boys", Commanded by Captain Cottingham, Jefferson, organized in Hempstead County, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company F, Commanded by Captain R. E. Beebe, organized at Perryville, Perry County, Arkansas, on March 3, 1862
- Company G, Commanded by Captain H. G. Robertson, organized in Pulaski County, Arkansas on February 17, 1862
- Company H, Commanded by Captain W. H. Wheeler, organized in Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas, on February 28, 1862
- Company I, Commanded by Captain G. W. King, organized at Little Rock, Pulaskin County, Arkansas, on February 26, 1862
- Company K, Commanded by Captain W. R. Kelley, organized at Bright Star, Lafayette County, Arkansas, March 6, 1862
In May 1862, the Confederate Army under went an army-wide reorganization due to the passage of the Conscription Act by the Confederate Congress in April 1962. All twelve-month regiments had to re-muster and enlist for two years or the duration of the war; a new election of officers was ordered; and men who were exempted from service by age or other reasons under the Conscription Act were allowed to take a discharge and go home. Officers who did not choose to stand for re-election were also offered a discharge. The reorganization was accomplished among all the Arkansas regiments in and around Corinth, Mississippi, following the Battle of Shiloh. The regimental officers chosen when the 20th was reorganized for the war were:
- Colonel Henry P. Johnson
- Lieutenant Colonel James H. Fletcher
- Major Daniel W. Jones
Battles
20th Infantry Regiment, formerly G. W. King's 22nd Regiment, moved east of the Mississippi River and at the Battles of Corinth and Hatchie Bridge reported 92 casualties. Later it was assigned to General M. E. Green's Brigade, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, and after fighting at Big Black River Bridge was captured at Vicksburg in July, 1863. Exchanged, reorganized, and mounted, the 20th was attached to Dockery's Brigade in the Trans-Mississippi Department and was prominent at Marks' Mills and Jenkins' Ferry.The men were paroled and returned to Arkansas. After being exchanged, the 20th Arkansas was mounted and fought in the Camden Expedition in April 1864.
Colonel Johnson was killed at the battle of Corinth, and Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher became colonel, but resigned on account of disability, when Maj. Daniel W. Jones was promoted to colonel, and Captain Robertson succeeded him as major of the regiment. Major Robertson was killed in the battle of Big Black in rear of Vicksburg. The regiment was at the bombardment of Fort Pillow and in the battles of Farmington, Corinth, Coffeeville, Miss., Big Black river bridge, endured the siege of Vicksburg, and was surrendered to Grant, July 4, 1863. Colonel Jones, who had been taken prisoner at Corinth and exchanged, was again a prisoner at the capitulation of Vicksburg. After being exchanged, the regiment reentered the service as cavalry under Colonel Jones, and was at the skirmishes on the Little Missouri and Prairie d'ane, and the battles of Marks' Mills and Jenkins' Ferry, in April 1864; and during the raid to the Missouri river took part in the battles of Pilot Knob, Booneville, Independence and Marais des Cygnes, September 1864.
In November 1864, the remnants of the 18th, 19th and 20th Arkansas regiments were combined to form the 3rd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
3rd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
The 3rd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The regiment is separate from and has no connection to the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment which served in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and separate from the 3rd Regiment,...
.
Surrender
The regiment was included in the general surrender of Confederate forces in the Trans-Mississippi Department on May 26, 1865.External links
- Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home Page
- The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture
- The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
- The Arkansas History Commission, State Archives, Civil War in Arkansas
See also
- List of Arkansas Civil War Confederate units
- Lists of American Civil War Regiments by State
- Confederate Units by State
- Arkansas in the American Civil WarArkansas in the American Civil WarThe state of Arkansas was a part of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War, and provided a source of troops, supplies, and military and political leaders for the fledgling country. Arkansas had become the 25th state of the United States, on June 15, 1836, entering as a...
- Arkansas Militia in the Civil WarArkansas Militia in the Civil WarThe units of the Arkansas Militia in the Civil War included militia organizations to which the current Arkansas National Guard has a connection: the militia, Home Guard, and State Troop regiments raised by the State of Arkansas. Like most of the United States, Arkansas had an organized militia...